Fresh Start
by longlive-myevilqueen
Summary: Post curse. Regina has a daughter (explained inside) and this is about her starting over and being happy. Not without a few mishaps on the way of course!
1. Chapter 1

**Set Up: This is just to avoid any confusion. The story starts out a few years after the curse is broken. Henry is in high school now and mostly stays with Emma, but Regina and her obviously share him. Regina has always wanted her own child, so she got artificially inseminated and that is how Claire came to be. Still not much of a love life, but this could change. ;) **

Regina Mills was in deep sleep when she heard voices calling her name. With a not so gentle nudge to her arm, Regina opened her eyes. Her vision was blurry, but gradually cleared to see her little girl staring at her.

"What's wrong, baby?" Regina asked, voice still hoarse from sleeping.

The little girl started to get into bed with Regina. Noticing this, the brunette moved over and lifted up the covers. Once her little girl was cuddled up next to her, Regina stroke her hair with her fingers and leaned her head down, so that her face was next to the little girl's ear.

Regina kissed her cheek, "Have another nightmare?" The little girl nodded. "What about, Claire-bear?"

The little girl turned and nuzzled her face into her mother's chest. She mumbled, "Mean lady tried to get me."

Regina closed her eyes briefly in thought. This is the same nightmare that Claire has been having since she was two. It would go away for a little while, but it always found a way back. Claire was five now. When she opened her eyes, Regina looked over at her clock: 5:30 in the morning.

Regina tried to move her body, so that she could see Claire's eyes, "Want to talk about it with mommy?" Claire thought about the offer. It was in these moments that Regina saw herself in Claire.

After some time had passed, Claire finally spoke up. "I's out in the street with Henry and…and the lady asks for you. Then..." Claire starts using her hands to demonstrate what happened, but Regina already knows.

"The lady uses her powers on your brother and you run to find me because that's what Henry wanted." Claire nodded, which only made Regina release a breath out of her nose in frustration. She needed to talk to somebody about this and figure out what was going on in her little girl's head.

Claire watched her mother think, "Mommy?" Regina looked towards the little girl in front of her and hummed a 'hm.' "You'll protect me?" Regina felt that burning feeling in her eyes. She took Claire into her arms and placed her head on top of the little girls.

"I will always protect you. Don't you ever forget it…" Regina had a billion things to say, instead she let Claire calm down and fall back asleep. Regina couldn't sleep. All she could think about was the woman her daughter always described. Who was she? Was it really just a dream? Regina could only hope it was.

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><p>The next morning Regina got up and took a shower. All the while, replaying the dream that her daughter described to her. She couldn't figure out what it meant or if she should even be concerned.<p>

She stepped out of the shower and prepared for the day ahead. When she was finished, Regina walked down the hall into Claire's bedroom where she peaked her head in to check on her.

Claire was sitting at a little table drawing something that Regina couldn't see from where she stood. Regina noted Claire's hair still had not been brushed out.

"Claire," Regina got the attention of her daughter as she walked closer to her and sat down on the edge of the bed, "What are you drawing?" Regina tried to lean closer to take a look, but Claire instantly covered it.

Claire gave her mother a look, "Show you later, mommy." Regina leaned forward once more, but Claire continued to cover it. Regina sighed as she looked around the room.

"How about you let mommy braid your hair and then we can go visit Emma and Henry?" Claire pretended to think this over.

The little girl's eyes lit up at the mere thought of seeing her big brother. "Let's go, let's go!" Regina smiled at Claire, but only patted the spot next to her on the bed. Claire quickly moved beside her mother as Regina grabbed the brush and a ponytail.

Regina brushed through her daughter's hair enough where she could run her fingers through it. Claire kept moving, which only made Regina smile slightly. "Stop moving, baby."

Claire tried to be more still even though she was nearly bouncing with excitement. Regina didn't know what she would do without Claire and her brother. They were everything to her. Claire looked almost identical to her with her brown hair and brown eyes. She reminded Regina of her younger self: carefree and spirited. When she finished braiding Claire's hair, Regina leaned forward and kissed the side of her face.

Claire giggled at the interaction. "We go now?" Claire asked, while jumping off the bed and turning towards her mother. Regina chuckled at her daughter's excitement.

"Yes," Regina smiled, getting off the bed, "We can go now."

**Author's Note: It has been awhile since I have last written a story, so be nice :) I will try to update every Wednesday night, but with school this could change slightly every once in awhile. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Side Note- For those of you who are still confused about how Regina had Claire...Regina had a sperm donor. Hope this clears up any confusion! Enjoy :)**

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><p>On the drive over, Claire continued to sing along to one of Regina's CDs from the backseat. Regina would glance into the rearview mirror to check on her with the occasional smile in Claire's direction. As they pulled into the Charming's driveway, Claire began to undo herself from her car seat.<p>

Regina glancing back at her from the rearview mirror caught this, "What are you doing?" Claire instantly froze at her mother's stern voice. "You know not to take off your seatbelt until we have come to a full stop."

Regina put the car into park and turned her body to face Claire with a stern look. Claire continued to slowly unfasten herself despite her mother's look that told her otherwise. Claire smiled, "We stopped."

Before Regina had a chance to say anything, she heard a tap on her window. She turned her head towards the sound and her mood instantly changed. Henry stood with a smile before opening up the door to the backseat to let Claire out.

Regina got out of the car with a smile and hugged him, "I missed you!" She continued to hold him close for a few more seconds before she had to let him go. "How has school been going?"

Henry chuckled at his mom because they talked almost every day if they didn't meet up some place in Storybrooke to talk in person. "Good," he paused to pick up his little sister who giggled like crazy, "Mary Margaret has been helping me with my homework."

Claire put her arms around her brother's neck once Henry situated her on his back. Regina smiled at them, "I am glad you are doing well." She looked over at the door then back at her son, "Is anybody else home?"

Henry nodded, "Just Emma. It's her day off, but only because David thought she needed the break."

Claire began to bounce in excitement, "We go inside, Henwry!" Regina and Henry both chuckled. Henry began walking towards the door, while Regina moved ahead of him to get the front door.

Henry walked in, "Emma, Mom is here and she brought somebody who is very excited to see you!" Claire struggled to get off of Henry's back, so Regina picked her up and set her on the floor where she ran towards Emma.

"Swan!" the little girl squealed in excitement as Emma picked her up and set Claire on her lap. Because Regina always called Emma "Miss Swan," Claire began to pick up the nickname for Emma.

"What are you guys doing here?" Emma smiled at Claire, but clearly directing the question towards Regina. Regina walked closer to Emma and took a seat in a chair beside the coach.

"We wanted to visit Henry and miss Claire loves seeing you," Regina watched her daughter interact with Emma, "though I don't know why." Emma smirked at Regina for that last comment before returning her attention back to Claire. Regina never understood Claire's fascination with Emma. She assumed they built a connection from Emma having to watch Claire for her sometimes.

Henry stood behind Regina's chair, "So, mom you're coming to my game next Tuesday, right?" Regina angled her body enough to see his face and smiled.

"Of course I'm going! I wouldn't miss watching you play," She was about to bring her hand up to touch his face, but stopped short. "With you being a fullback and all."

Henry chuckled and shook his head, "Forward." Regina couldn't believe she just messed that up. Sports were never her thing.

"Right," Regina smiled in embarrassment, but quickly composed herself. "What time is the game?"

"5:30 at the school," Henry smiled at his mom.

Emma watched Regina try to talk about sports with their son. "I can't believe you told him he plays a fullback. That's clearly a football position." Emma was trying to get Regina riled up. Regina gave Emma one of her famous evil queen glares.

"Miss Swan, must I remind you of the time you walked up to 'our son'," Regina used air quotes when she said our son, "and told him to pummel the other team. When in fact, that was a boy from the opposite team."

Emma slightly blushed, while Henry chuckled behind Regina. "Why do people keep bringing that up?" Regina smirked at her. "The kid looked like Henry's doppelganger."

Claire squinted her eyes and slightly cocked her head to the side in confusion. "What's a duppelranger?" Regina looked over at her daughter and giggled at the look Claire was giving them.

"A doppelganger, sweetie." Regina corrected. "It means somebody who looks a lot like your brother."

Her facial expressions made everybody chuckle in amusement as Claire absorbed that little bit of information.

The group continued to talk for an hour or so, when Regina looked down at her watch, "Well, thanks for having us over, but miss Claire and I should really get going," she smiled at her daughter who started to frown at the thought of leaving. Regina gave Claire a look as if to say 'don't you dare start something here.'

Regina got up, while Emma handed the little girl to Regina. "It was our pleasure," Emma looked over at Henry then back at Regina, "I guess I'll see you at Henry's game Tuesday."

Regina nodded with a smile, while she readjusted Claire on her hip. "Of course," she turned towards Henry, "I'll see you for dinner tonight?"

"I'll be there." Henry smiled before hugging his mother. Regina enjoyed these little moments with Henry because they were becoming less frequent. "See you later, mom."

Regina regretfully let him go, "See you later." She looked over at Emma with a smile and a wave before walking out to her car and driving back home. On the drive back, she glanced back at Claire who was singing along to another song. Regina smiled thinking that her life couldn't be any better than how it is right now.

**Author's Note: Let me know what you guys think! I hope you enjoyed it. Things will start heating up in the next few chapters. :P**


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you to everybody who has reviewed and followed this story! It means so much to me! 3 **

The alarm clock buzzed and Regina's hand moved quickly to silence the noise. She scrunched her face in annoyance because she knew she had to get Claire up for school. Her eyes opened slowly, so that they could adjust to the room and she sat up on her bed.

Taking in a deep breath and letting it out through her nose, Regina made her way down the hall to wake her daughter. Regina stood in her daughter's doorway watching her baby girl. Claire was facing Regina with both hands cuddled near her chest.

Regina moved towards the bed and leaned down to brush a piece of hair out of Claire's face. "Wake up, baby girl," Regina murmured, so that she wouldn't startle her. Claire's face scrunched up just like her mother's did earlier in frustration.

She opened up her eyes slowly and blinked until her vision was clear and set on her mother. "Can I stay home today?" Claire mumbled softly.

Regina giggled as she sat down on the edge of Claire's bed, "Are you not feeling well?" Regina held the back of her hand to her daughter's forehead to check for a fever. "You don't have a fever."

"I's just tired, mommy." Claire turned her head into her mother's touch, which only made Regina's heart melt. She wanted to let her baby stay home and sleep, but she knew that she couldn't stay home with her.

Regina continued to caress Claire's cheek, "Claire, sweetie, you need to get up." Claire set her eyes on her mothers before reaching out and hugging Regina around her neck. Regina's hand moved from Claire's back to her bottom, so that she could lift her up and onto her hip.

While Claire was eating breakfast, Regina went back upstairs to get around. She took a nice warm shower, did her hair, brushed her teeth, got dressed in her typical mayor attire and applied some makeup. Regina stopped at Claire's room to find an outfit or two before moving down the stairs to find Claire watching TV.

"What do you think?" Regina raised two outfits up for Claire to see.

"Skinnys and boots!" Regina eyed both outfits again and nodded. She walked over and sat down on the coach beside Claire who was watching 'The Fairy Odd Parents.' There wasn't a morning that goes by that Regina doesn't get stuck watching this, but she can't help but wonder if Claire only knew more about _her_. The fact that _she_-

"Mommy?" Claire interrupted Regina's thoughts. Regina smiled warmly at her daughter and indicated that she put her arms up, so that she could help put the sweater on her.

Regina lay the pants and boots down next to Claire, "Put those on," she instructed, "Mommy is going to get her brush." Claire did as she was told and when she was finished Regina walked down the stairs. She brushed out Claire's hair and pinned up pieces of it.

Regina looked over at the clock: 7:50. "Shit. Let's go Claire-bear," Regina picked up her purse and keys, "and grab your book bag!"

"No cursing mommy!" Claire picked up her book bag and ran into Regina's leg as she tried to walk out the door. Claire and Regina's eyes met for a second. It took all Regina had not to laugh at how Claire was yelling at her. Instead she smiled and rushed Claire out of the door and into her Mercedes.

Regina buckled Claire into her car seat and proceeded to get into the driver's side to start the car. Once it started, Regina took one look in her rearview mirror at Claire and headed for the school.

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><p>Once at the school, Regina put the car into park and looked back at her daughter who already had her car seat undone. They got out and Regina did the checklist in her head: homework done. Backpack is here. Claire looks presentable.<p>

Regina moved down to Claire's level, "Do you think you can go in by yourself this morning? Mommy has something to do, but I promise I'll be right here to pick you up after school." Regina smiled, grabbing her daughter's hands.

Claire nodded with a tiny smile and Regina hugged her with one hand holding her head and the other around the little girl. Regina looked her little girl up and down before kissing the side of her head even though Claire gave her a look to not do that in front of her friends.

The bell rang and Claire with her backpack in tack started to run away. "Be good! I love you!" Regina spoke louder to get Claire's attention even though all Claire did was nod and smile in response. She watched Claire enter the school doors before walking back to her car.

Now that she was alone, her worries about Claire began to creep into her mind once more. She had to talk to him. Only he would know what Claire's dreams meant, even though she despised the beast.

Regina drove away from the school and to the one place she didn't think she would ever have to visit again. Bursting through the doors, the little bell chimed and Regina looked around for him.

After spotting the beast, Regina decided to state the problem right away, "I need your help."

**Please Review :) Let me know what you think should happen in the story! Thanks :)**


	4. Chapter 4

**I am so sorry that this wasn't up sooner! It's been a busy week! I will get the next one up on or before Wednesday...I promise.**

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><p>"How can I help you, dearie?" Rumple had his famous know-it-all smirk going, which only made Regina more irritated.<p>

Regina rolled her eyes, "I am here, but for one purpose and only you can figure it out." Rumple looked at the brunette with more interest than before, but kept his composure concealed.

"What do you need to know?" Regina didn't know where to start. All she knew was that her daughter was having some reoccurring dream. "Well I don't have all day," Rumple was growing impatient with her.

Regina looked back at the imp finally finding her words, "What do you know about reoccurring dreams? Specifically one that has been repeating for years."

Rumple grinned, "Dreams are based on nothing more than emotion and experience in ones life unless…" Rumple started going through his cabinet.

Regina snarled clearly sick of Rumple toying with her, "Spit it out, Rumple. I'm tired of playing these childish games with you."

Regina moved closer to the glass case that separated her and Rumple. She narrowed her eyes to see what he was trying to fetch because she had no idea what the imbecile was talking about. Regina was nervous and scared that something bad was happening to her daughter, but she wouldn't let that show on her face. Not here. And definitely not near him.

Rumple turned around with a bottle in his hand, "Tell me about this dream." Regina scrunched up her face in confusion.

"How is that important?" Rumple gave her a sideways glance as he messed with the bottle in his hands. Regina sighed, "Claire has been having this dream or rather a nightmare about a woman with powers trying to attack her and Henry. Henry tells Claire to get away, but when she does she looks back to see Henry hurt," She paused, "Should I be concerned?"

Rumple didn't answer right away. He began thinking of all the possibilities of what this dream really meant.

"The dream could merely be just that: a dream. It's also possible that this dream could be a premonition of what is about to come. I need to see this dream to be certain and the only way to do that is to use," He paused to pick it up, "this."

Regina stared at it. She knew what it was because they used this before, but against her. "A dream catcher?"

"Precisely. While Claire is sleeping use this to find the one thing she is most afraid of: that nightmare." Rumple placed the dream catcher on top of the glass case.

Regina was about to pick it up, "What's the price?" She arched an eyebrow at him. She knew how he worked and with him there was always a price.

Rumple smirked, "No price, dearie." Regina slowly picked up the dream catcher. "At least not at this time." Regina kept her hand on the dream catcher, tracing the lines with her fingers.

The brunette stared at the thing that could help her most, "Whatever it takes to help my daughter." She locked eyes with Rumple before she stormed out of the store and into her car.

Once in the car, Regina looked down at her watch and saw that it was almost time to pick up Claire from Kindergarten. She looked over at the dream catcher in the passenger seat before starting her car and headed for the school.

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><p>When Regina arrived at the school, she put the car in park, grabbed her purse and exited the car. She walked into the school towards her daughter's classroom because they wouldn't release her unless Regina was there.<p>

She approached the classroom with a smile after she saw Claire playing with a few of her classmates. She was just about to yell for Claire, when she felt a hand lightly grip her forearm.

Regina looked up at the teacher, "Hello, Ms. Metzger. I am just here to pick up Claire." She paused, "How is she doing in class?"

The teacher smiled before taking a glance in Claire's direction, "Claire is one of my top students. You should be very proud of her." She paused, and Regina smiled at the praise her daughter was getting. "Do you want me to let Claire know you are here?" Regina shook her head.

"No, but thank you. I think I will go get her myself." The teacher nodded in understanding as Regina started walking closer to the table that her daughter was at.

Claire was drawing something that Regina couldn't see, so Regina squat down until she was sitting on the heels of her feet. She ran her hands up and down her daughter's arms to let her know somebody was there.

"Hey, sweetie." Claire looked over at her with the biggest smiles.

"Mommy!" Claire reached over and hugged her mother, "Look at what I'm drawing!" Regina's eyes landed on the paper and she grinned when she saw what her daughter was drawing. It was a picture of her with an arrow pointed to her saying 'Mommy' with two children.

"It's beautiful!" Regina praised her daughter as she kissed her on the cheek. "We are going to hang this on the fridge as soon as we get home!" Claire grinned even as she attempted to wipe the lipstick mark off her cheek.

Regina laughed and helped erase all evidence of the kiss. "Why don't you go grab your backpack? Mommy needs to stop by the office before we head home."

"OK!" Claire was halfway to her bag when she rushed back and handed the drawing to her mother. She smiled that toothy smile that made Regina smile back with a chuckle. Claire ran back to where her bag was and put a few things in there before she zipped it up.

Regina watched her daughter as she stood up brushing down her skirt. When Claire ran back to her, she grabbed her hand. "Have your homework?"

Claire nodded, and started moving towards the door, pulling Regina with her. "Let's go, mommy!" Regina laughed as her and Claire walked out of the classroom.

**Author's Note: Please review! It helps keep me motivated! :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I AM SO SORRY FOR JUST NOW UPDATING THIS! School has been keeping me busy. :( Remember to review and let me know what you think or want to happen! Thank you :) You guys are the best!**

Regina arrived at the office to grab some paperwork off her desk. She tried to tell Claire to stay in the car, yet the little girl would not listen. Regina sighed and reluctantly allowed Claire to tag along.

"Mayor Mills, I was not expecting to see you here until tomorrow…" Regina's assistant was just newly hired and had a lot to learn about not only the town, but also her.

Regina smiled, "I forgot I had to sign off on some papers for the Sheriff." She looked over her shoulder to make sure Claire was still following her then back at her assistant. "I promise I won't be long."

As Regina walked into her office, she closed the door without a thought and sat down to examine the papers in front of her. She heard a knock on her door and sighed, while brushing her fingers through her hair.

Regina raised her voice slightly to be heard over the closed door, "Tell whoever needs me that I am busy and will get back with them at a later date."

She heard another knock followed by a huff, "Mommy!"

Regina raised an eyebrow at that. She looked around the room in search of Claire, but nothing. "Claire?"

"Mommy! Let me in!" Regina looked around for the source, but nothing.

"Claire, sweetheart, why are yo-?" Her curiosity got the best of her, so she opened the door to find Claire standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. "I'm so sorry. I thought you were right behind me." Regina chuckled slightly.

Claire walked into the office and sat down in the nearest seat with a huff, "I wasn't."

Regina wore an amused smile on her face as she shut her office door once again. She walked over to her daughter and kissed the top of her head while rubbing a hand down the side of Claire's face, "You know I love you, right?"

Claire gave her mother a look, which made Regina want to smile, but Regina bit her lip to hold it back. "Right," the little brunette mumbled.

Regina smiled softly, "Why don't you lay down for a bit? Mommy might be awhile." Regina could tell that Claire was tuckered out from school, but Claire just looked away not wanting to listen to her mother.

Regina sighed. She walked over to a big drawer and pulled it open. She picked through a few things before she found a blanket. While she walked over to her defiant daughter, she started to unfold the blanket and place it in Claire's lap.

"I not tired," Claire whined, yet she brought her hands up to rub at her eyes.

Regina gave her daughter a look that quickly shifted to a soft smile, "Claire, you don't have to sleep, but if you were to suddenly feel tired then your blanket is right next to you."

Claire watched as Regina walked back to her desk and sat down. She was trying really hard to keep her eyes open and not lay down.

Regina continued to fill out and sign off on some paperwork, while occasionally glancing up and over at her daughter. She knew Claire would be zonked out in a matter of minutes. Why the little girl was trying to fight it, was beyond her.

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><p>An hour had passed. Regina finished typing in a few more things into her computer before turning it off. She sighed while closing her eyes and laying the back of her head against the office chair.<p>

After a few moments, Regina opened her eyes slowly to look over at her passed out daughter. She pushed herself out of her chair and walked over to where her daughter lay. Regina was about to put a hand on Claire to wake her when she remembered: the dream catcher.

Regina thought about just forgetting about the dream catcher all together yet, something inside of her kept persisting to know what was going on. She walked back over to her desk and began to go through her purse in search of the object.

Once she saw the brown weaved like object, Regina picked it up still contemplating if she should go through with this. She knew it would not harm her baby girl, but she was more scared of what she would find going on with the little girl.

Without another thought, Regina walked back over to where her daughter lay. Regina slowly moved the dream catcher from her baby girl's brown hair down to her little toes. Once the object stopped glowing, Regina put the object back into her purse.

Regina was so deep in her own thoughts that she almost didn't hear Claire's breathing sharpen before groaning and waking up.

"Momma…" Claire softly spoke, while rubbing at her eyes and attempting to sit up. This caught Regina's attention and she snapped her neck to the side to look at her daughter.

"Yes, baby?" Regina asked, while walking over and crouching down to Claire's level. She brushed Claire's hair out of her face.

"Is it time to go home?" Claire stared at her mother with those brown colored eyes that resembled her mother's. Regina nodded with a smile and then leaned forward to press a kiss to Claire's forehead.

"We can head home now." Regina's hands brushed through the girl's hair. "Henry is meeting us for dinner in about a hour." Claire perked at that. Her smile growing at the thought of seeing her brother.


	6. Chapter 6

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Here is yet another chapter! Yes, two in one week! I feel like I owe you guys for not updating in about three weeks! Hope you like it :)**

"Mommy?" Regina glanced over at her daughter coloring at the table, yet continued to add some garlic into the marinara sauce. Claire practically begged her to have her favorite meal this evening: spaghetti.

"Hm?" Regina brought the spoon to her lips and blew on it to cool it down before trying the marinara.

Claire studied the crayon in her hand with a frown, "I broke the blue crayon." Regina raised an eyebrow in curiosity and turned to actually face her daughter. Regina wanted to laugh at the look on her daughter's face, but bit her bottom lip to hold it in.

"Now, what are you going to use to color the sky?" Regina started to tease her daughter, "Or the ocean? You cannot use just any color to-"

The doorbell rang. Regina walked towards the island table and leaned forward to grab the broken blue crayon from Claire's hands with a smile. "If you go into my bedroom, in my closet there should be a box in the far left drawer." Claire grinned before jumping off the chair and running towards Regina's room.

Regina yelled after her, "Keep your hands out of my candy stash!" Claire always seemed to find Regina's stash and by the looks of it she was determined to find it again. The doorbell rang again. Regina turned off the stove and made her way to the door.

She opened it to find both Emma and Henry standing there.

Henry hugged Regina, "Hey, Mom." He walked inside and straight into the kitchen where he knew food was waiting. Regina smiled fondly at her son.

Emma smiled, "Whatcha' cooking?" The blonde haired woman walked right into the house much to Regina's dismay.

"Miss Swan, did I say that it was okay for you to just barge into my home?" Regina shut the door and followed the blonde woman.

Emma followed the aroma of food just like her son did before.

"Miss Swan?!" Regina tried again. She was getting frustrated with Emma's lack of response. Emma walked into the kitchen and spotted Henry putting food on a plate.

Emma turned towards Regina's persistent voice behind her, "I'm sorry. I just had to see what that amazing smell was." She began to mess with her hands, "Is it okay if I stay for dinner? Just this once." Regina wanted to say no. She wanted to tell the woman to go back to the Charmings, but something about Emma had her saying the opposite.

"Of course." Regina smiled softly despite the fact that she wanted the evening alone with her children. Emma returned the smile before turning towards Henry and grabbing a plate herself.

Regina watched the two interact and remembered when it was just her and Henry. She remembered how she would cook dinner in this very spot and continue to watch Henry outside as he played some made up game thinking he was a knight.

_Regina would always correct him by saying, "I like to think you are my little prince."_

_At which he would he would smile shyly at her, "I am in your world, but in my world I'm a knight. I fight off all the bad people to protect the good." _

_Regina would smile, "Of course you would. Now go wash up for dinner."_

Regina jumped slightly at the slight pull of her pants; she looked down and spotted her daughter. Regina smiled, spotting bits of chocolate smeared on Claire's face, "I see you found my candy stash." The little brunette grinned, but kept her eyes focused anywhere and everywhere aside from Regina's lingering stare. "Mmhmm…go wash up and I'll prepare you a plate."

All four of them sat around the dinner table. Forks clanking against their plates along side laughter made for a perfect evening.

Henry watched everybody get along and it was hard for him to believe that a few years ago his mom and ma would be at each other's throats instead of laughing right now.

Regina twirled the pasta around her fork, "Emma, how are you handling your magic these days?" Emma swallowed her food before answering.

"It's…more…" Emma was at a loss of words to describe it, "…it's under control. Not as strong as yours yet." Regina's eyes darted over to Claire whose face was scrunched then back at Emma.

"Mommy doesn't have powers, Swan." Emma looked over at Regina apologetically.

"Right…I forgot. Silly me," Emma chuckled nervously.

Claire just smiled at Emma, "It's okay." The little girl continued to eat getting more on herself than in her mouth.

Regina decided when she got pregnant with Claire that the little girl would know nothing of the evil queen and the powers that belonged to her. The whole town was on board with the idea since they began to see Regina as a hero after she helped save Henry from Peter Pan.

She still used her powers, just not around Claire. After growing up in a household with magic, Regina thought it would be in Claire's best interest to live in a home without magic. Claire knew that the whole town was made up of fairytale characters and some had magic, but what she didn't know was that her own mother possessed the strongest magic of them all.

Henry decided to break the silence, "This is really good, mom." Regina smiled at her son's praise.

Emma nodded in agreement, "Seriously, Regina, this stuff is amazing!"

"I'm glad you like it." Regina finished her last bite, putting the fork down and wiping her mouth with her napkin. She looked around the dinner table at her son and daughter eating away like this was their last meal ever. Regina then looked over at the blonde savior whom she never would have thought she would be such good friends with. "Would anybody like more? I made plenty."

**MORE: Remember to review! Btw, should Regina be with Emma or somebody else like Robin Hood? I'd love to know what you think!**


	7. Chapter 7

**Note: I hope you guys enjoy this chapter...I certainly enjoyed writing it :P THANK YOU FOR THE REVIEWS! You guys are the best! Alright, enjoy! :)**

Regina put the car in park in front of the school and looked down at the clock on the dash: 7:55. She leaned her head back against the seat for just a moment to relax after the crazy morning Claire had given her. Claire had been cranky and whiny all morning. It was a relief Regina even got her to school on time.

Regina sighed angling her body to look at Claire in the backseat. The younger brunette had already unbuttoned her seatbelt, which Regina would have scolded her about if she weren't already tired from this morning.

"Did you remember to pick up your book off the kitchen counter?" Regina had repeatedly told Claire that morning that she needed to get the book off the counter and into her book bag for school.

Claire sighed with annoyance, "Yes."

Regina ignored the attitude, "Good. Have a good day at school, all right? I will be right here when you get out." Regina smiled, while Claire started moving towards the door without looking at her. "I love you."

Claire nodded, grabbed her backpack and pushed the door open. She sat on the edge of the seat swinging her legs trying to decide if she wanted to jump down or not. Regina contemplated helping her, but decided it would only cause a scene and she didn't like other people knowing the struggles of her personal life.

Finally, the little girl jumped down and started running towards the school leaving the car door wide open. Regina sighed out of her nose closing her eyes briefly before putting her hand on her door handle and opening it.

"Don't worry, I got it." Regina jumped a little, startled from the familiar voice. The brunette looked back at whom the voice belonged to.

"Thank you, Emma," Regina gave a small gracious smile.

Emma returned the smile. The two women stared at each other both temporarily at a loss for words. "So…rough morning?" Regina regained her focus by looking down at the console.

The brunette nodded, "You have no idea." Regina looked back up at the blonde; "Claire was quite the tyrant this morning." Emma chuckled still holding the backseat door open. She didn't want to push the woman to say anymore because she knew Regina would talk when she was ready. Both women sat there in comfortable silence for a moment longer unsure of what to say or do.

Regina met Emma's eyes once more, "Is Henry ready for his game tonight?"

Emma nodded, "Yeah, I think so. He keeps talking about this bet he made with his coach…"

"If he kicks so many goals, he gets ice cream." Regina finished for her with a smile.

"Yeah!" Emma exclaimed with a smile and light quiet laughter that was joined by Regina's.

Regina looked over at her dash: 8:10. "I'm sorry, but I must cut this short. Goodbye, Miss Swan." Regina closed her own door. Emma stuck her hands in her pockets and nodded in understanding.

"You can stick with Emma, you know. Miss Swan is too formal." Emma watched the brunette's expression change from confusion to understanding.

Regina smiled, "Emma." She repeated and for some reason Emma liked the way her name sounded coming from the mayor. Regina needed to get this conversation back into her control. She looked over and spotted the one thing that would steer them back into a professional conversation. Regina looked over at Emma, "Sheriff, if you don't stop Leroy from going near the school," She pointed over to where Leroy was stumbling down the sidewalk holding a beer can and singing horribly off tune, "I suggest you rethink your position. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do." Regina put the car into drive and drove away. All the while, Emma was grinning like a fool. She loved sassy Regina sometimes.

Emma looked over in the direction of the singing and sighed, "Leroy, you are going to scare the children. Come to think of it, you are scaring the children…and me." Emma jogged over to her yellow bug, pulled out the handcuffs and began to walk over to Leroy. This was going to be a long day.

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><p>Heels clicked against the tiled floor as Regina walked past her assistant and into her office. She looked around before she shut the door behind her. Walking to the desk, Regina looked through her purse until she found the dream catcher. She was afraid to know what the dream catcher now possessed in it's curves and lines.<p>

Regina's fingers traced the lines and edges, while she contemplated if she should go through with this. Staring at it. Still staring at it until finally she felt her magic course through her body and into the thing in her hands. It glowed. All Regina saw was swirls of purple and greens before a picture started playing like a movie.

_A boy that looked like Henry stood beside Claire facing a woman with dark brown hair. They couldn't see her face, not yet. Her back was to them while she was talking. _

_The woman gave off a low evil laugh, "Do you really think you can take me on…all by yourself?" Henry started pushing Claire behind him. _

_"Maybe I can't, but I can hold you off until both my moms get here." Henry challenged. The woman turned around. Henry couldn't figure out who this woman was or how she got here. All he knew was that she seemed dangerous and he had to get Claire out of here before she got hurt. _

_The woman's face contorted into a grin, "Foolish boy, your mommies can't defeat me. I'm immortal." Claire continued to peak out behind her brother not sure what to do. She was scared. Scared for her. Scared for her brother. _

_Claire started pulling on Henry's shirt, which made Henry look down at his little sister. He bent down to her level and wiped some of her tears away. "I need you to be a big girl, okay?" The five year old nodded. "I need you to run. Run as fast as you can and find mom and Emma. Tell them…." He was at a loss for words. He didn't know what was going to happen once she left and he definitely didn't know if he could hold his own with this woman. _

_"Tell them that I love them and that they need to come into the forest and find me. You got that?" Claire nodded once more as another tear ran down her face. Henry couldn't take it anymore, so he brought Claire in for a hug. Claire wouldn't let go when Henry tried to step out of the hug, but Henry detached her. "Run, Claire, run!" _

_Claire ran as fast as her little feet could take her. She heard something like a buzzing noise from behind her along with a cry from her brother. The little girl looked back and saw Henry holding his arm, but it was useless because blood was oozing. _

The colors faded once more. Regina held one hand to her mouth as tears fell from her eyes and the other hand clutched the dream catcher. All Regina could think about was what if this was a premonition and someone terrible was coming to Storybrooke. She didn't know who this woman was nonetheless the powers the woman possessed. How can you fight something you know nothing about? It started getting harder for her to breath through the tears and panic that was flooding her chest.

She dropped the dream catcher and placed both hands against her desk while she tried to regulate her breathing. It was useless really. Every time she gained some normalcy in her breathing, the panic flooded back in and squeezed her chest.

Regina heard a knock at the door and she quickly brushed away her tears and stood up to find and sit in her chair. She sniffed and rubbed her hand under her eyes to fix her makeup once more. "C-come in." Regina cleared her throat and sat up straight right before her assistant peeked her head through the door.

"Um, Ms. Mills there someone on line one wanting to talk about the next town meeting." Regina put on her best smile at the time and nodded.

"Thank you. I will be sure to answer that right away." Once the other woman closed the door again, Regina leaned back in her office chair and let out a breath to help calm herself. She needed to talk to somebody. She knew she couldn't go to Rumple because if she did he would only take advantage of her vulnerability.

A list of names ran through the brunette's head and she mentally crossed off all but one name. Regina found her cell and dialed the all too familiar number.

**Side Note: If you guys want to see a specific moment or interaction...review and I will try my best to put it in the story! :) If any of you have a tumblr, you can find me here: longlive-myevilqueen (feel free to chat me up!)**


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: This takes off directly where the last chapter ended. Again, I am so sorry for being late on my updates! I've had finals and it's been stressing me. I hope you enjoy this chapter though :)**

The phone rang in Regina's hand. Once. Twice. She began to tap her fingers on her desk rather impatiently waiting for somebody to pick up. She thought about hanging up and dealing with the issue on her own. The brunette tried to come up with multiple excuses, but just as she started moving the phone away from her ear she heard a noise.

"Hello?" Regina moved the phone back to her ear. "Regina?"

Regina sighed, "I called because I…," She stopped not wanting to tell the other woman what was going on, "I wanted to make sure Leroy was in fact warned for his behavior this morning." Regina used her free hand to press at her temples on her face.

Emma's face scrunched up on the other line, but nonetheless looked over at her stacks of papers where the name _Leroy_ was written at the top of the most recent paper. "Uh…yeah, I almost had to arrest him because he wouldn't listen to me."

"Good to hear you are doing your job," Regina went silent for a few moments not sure of what to say now that she decided not to talk about the dream and its hidden meaning.

Emma clicked her pen in and out waiting for some snarky remark from the former mayor, "So…is that all you wanted to talk about?" The blonde leaned back in her chair and set her feet up on the desk. She honestly wanted a distraction and was hoping Regina would give her one.

Regina was fighting a battle from within: to be or not to be vulnerable. She began to wonder if she could take on the other brunette woman from the dream or if she would need help. Regina knew from previous experiences that when Emma and her worked together the unexplainable happened like stopping unstoppable triggers and moving clouds to cover the moon. What if this dream wasn't real, though?

The blonde and her talked about a lot of things, but if the dream wasn't real then she didn't want to drag the blonde into it. Regina didn't want Emma to get hurt or her children for that matter. She dragged her bottom lip nervously between her teeth.

"Hello…," The sound of Emma's voice on the line brought Regina back to the conversation at hand.

"Remember that dream or rather nightmare that Claire has been having?" She heard an '_mmhmm_' and continued, "I think it might be real."

Emma thought back to the dream that Claire described to her one-day.

Remembering, Emma sat forward slamming the pen against the desk, "The one about some crazy lady with superpowers that ends up hurting Henry?"

Hearing Henry's name only pushed Regina back on the verge of tears.

"I-I just…" Regina heard her voice crack ever so slightly and cleared her throat to get rid of the feeling of her falling apart inside from coming out. "It may not be just a dream. What if this woman is real? She could be coming to Storybrooke now."

Emma stayed quiet on the other line in thought, which the brunette did not mind. Regina kept replaying the dream over and over trying to remember any specific details that could help her, help them figure out who this woman was.

Regina gasped quietly, which only made Emma perk up. "What?"

The brunette remembered a line that the woman said in her daughter's dream: your mommies. This other woman had to have something against her especially if this mysterious woman was going after her children.

"The woman from the dream told Henry that not even his mommies could defeat her. This means that she is coming after me," Regina leaned forward and laid her head in the palm of one of her hands waiting for a reply from the younger woman.

"Why are you so sure that this lady is coming for you?" Emma briefly paused, "I mean I have enemies too."

Regina sighed getting irritated by the blonde's denseness, "I am sure where you come from everybody has magical powers to use at their every whim." The brunette heard the blonde let out a breathy giggle.

"You have me there. So, your majesty, who else have you pissed off in your past?" Regina could practically see the blonde smirking on the other side of the line feeling proud of her sassy comeback.

Regina rolled her eyes even though she knew that the blonde clearly couldn't see her. As for Emma's question, Regina had no idea. She had thought that after defeating Peter Pan and solving things with Tinkerbell that everything would go back to normal. She was starting to realize that nothing was normal for her.

The brunette leaned back in her chair with another sigh, "I don't know." That was all Regina could muster up at the time.

"We'll figure this out, Regina," Regina wanted to believe those words, "_together_."

Regina smiled for the first time since seeing that god-awful dream or premonition thing. The blonde and brunette sat in comfortable silence only hearing the gentle breathing coming from one another that was strangely calming.

The brunette glanced over at the clock. _Shit_. She started putting things into her purse and briefcase as quickly as she could. She promised Claire she would be there to pick her up.

"Emma, can we talk at Henry's game this evening?" As she waited for the blonde to respond she continued to make sure she left everything in its rightful place on her desk. The brunette hauled her purse over her shoulder and her briefcase in the other as she headed for the door just to back track and pick up her car keys.

"Of course." Regina headed out of her office door locking it behind her.

"Because I am running late to pick up miss Claire, I will talk to you then." Now in her car, the brunette ignited the ignition and began driving the familiar path to her daughter's elementary school.

"Sounds good. Bye, Regina." Regina smiled at the way the blonde said her name. She reluctantly hung up the phone and couldn't understand why her stomach started to flutter. It wasn't like this was the first time she has ever seen or talked to the blonde, so why did she feel so different?

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><p>Her and Claire spent the first part of the afternoon making lunch while Claire animatedly talked about her day. Regina would just listen wanting to absorb every single word her daughter told her. After lunch, Regina sat down on the coach in the living room with Claire cuddled up beside her. They got halfway through the movie when Claire started to drift off. Regina felt the little girl's body get heavier on her lap with each passing moment. She absentmindedly ran her hand through Claire's hair soothing the little girl into a peaceful slumber.<p>

"Mommy?" The little girl sleepily mumbled into her mother's lap.

Regina looked down at her daughter brushing the hair out of her face and mouth and putting it behind her ear. "Yeah, baby?" She said softly enough, so that she wouldn't completely wake the little girl.

Because the little girl took awhile to respond, Regina thought maybe she fell asleep. "Do I have a daddy?" Regina stilled her hand movements for a moment. The question took Regina by surprise. She didn't know how to respond right away, but continued to brush through the younger brunette's hair.

Claire had never brought the question up about another parent before until now. Regina wasn't even sure where to start or how to describe the process of her being inseminated. In the past, she decided on her own that she didn't need a man to have a child. She loved Henry dearly, but she had always wanted another child of her own. Being a mother was the best job she could have ever had and she loved it.

"No, dear…" Regina whispered back in response. Regina could feel the little girl's face scrunch up on her leg as if she was thinking.

"Another mommy?" Regina didn't know what to say to the first question nonetheless about this question.

She leaned down and kissed her daughter on the cheek, "Sorry, baby, just me."

"Tis' okay." Claire mumbled, moving a bit to get comfortable again. "Emma can be my mommy too…someday."

**Please review! Thank you :) They help motivate me. **


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note: Sorry for the late update! I'm working two jobs. I just have to say this chapter is full of swanqueen feels and they will probably keep coming from here on out. Hope you enjoy this as much as I did!**

Regina held Claire up on her hip on top of a bag full of things to entertain the little girl on her shoulder. They looked around the bleachers for Emma, but she wasn't there yet. Regina found a spot on the bleachers and set Claire down beside her as she looked out at the field searching for her favorite soccer player: Henry.

Henry spotted her first and smiled with a tiny wave, which she gladly returned. Regina didn't know much about soccer, but because Henry loved it she tried to understand the sport to the best of her ability. Both teams were setting up on the field getting ready to start the game and Regina couldn't help but to look around expectantly for Emma every so often.

She sighed, looking over at Claire who was already digging her coloring book out of the bag. "What are you coloring?" Regina asked leaning over to look at the page splayed out on the bleacher below the one they were sitting on because Claire was sitting in between them.

"Cap'n Merica." Claire smiled while coloring his shield a shade of purple.

Regina smiled and corrected slowly making sure that Claire was looking at her, "Sweetie, it's Cap-tain A-merica."

"Captaaiinn Uhhhmerica." Claire repeated with a satisfactory toothy smile.

Regina softly laughed, "Perfect."

"Aww…thanks, Regina. You didn't have to call me perfect," a familiar voice said with a smirk. Regina looked up and met the emerald green eyes of the woman who said it and met it with a smile and a playful eye roll.

Regina laughed, "Claire was learning how to pronounce Captain America." Emma sat down beside Regina on the bleachers looking out at the field. She pointed.

"There's our son! He's going to kick some ass tonight!" Emma exclaimed and Regina tried to get Emma to lower her voice with a simple hand movement.

"Keep your voice down, dear." Emma then leaned over with her body touching Regina's.

Emma whispered, "Why?" Regina noticed the closeness and couldn't get the words that Claire said from earlier out of her head. She was beginning to feel dizzy and the butterflies in her stomach started to madly flutter around.

Regina whispered back, "Because other parents might get jealous of the fact that our son is going to kick some ass tonight." Regina moved her head to share a grin with Emma all the while meeting those damn eyes again. They were probably only a couple of inches a part. Once Emma moved back to her original spot, Regina let out the breath that she didn't realize she was holding. This was going to a long game, Regina thought.

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><p>They were halfway through the first period and neither team had scored a goal. Henry was on the field as the left forward position. He had been close to scoring a few times and blocked a couple of the other player's advancements whenever they would try to score on them.<p>

Regina always got super nervous whenever her son was on the field because she wanted him to do well, but she also didn't want him to get hurt. Every time a kid would collide with Henry it took all she had not to run down on the field to check on him. He was still her little prince no matter his age.

Regina watched as Henry ran with the ball towards the goal when another kid from the opposite team ran into him and knocked Henry down. Regina gasped as she instantly grabbed Emma's leg, which made Emma hiss out in slight pain.

Emma rubbed Regina's hand, "He'll be fine." Emma felt the tension leave Regina's hand that held onto her leg and when she could finally uncoil the brunette's hand she slid it between her hands unconsciously. She continued to try to soothe her.

Regina's eyes never left Henry on the field, "How can you be so certain?" She let out a breath when she saw Henry stand up again. He shook his limbs and jumped up and down until the game started again.

Emma looked over at the older woman with a small smile, "Because he's our son and that means he's strong." The brunette woman looked over at Emma with a mirroring smile.

They both continued to stare at each other as Emma continued to rub soothing circles on Regina's hand. Regina actually felt more calm by the minute though she didn't know why until she looked down at their joining hands. It took Emma awhile to look away from Regina's warm chocolate eyes and follow her gaze down to her lap. Emma kept telling herself to stop what she was doing, but with every touch her own stomach was fluttering and in knots. It all felt too nice.

"Mommy! Look! Henry scored!" Claire pointed towards the field.

Regina jumped at her daughter's voice and moved her hand out of Emma's lap and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She felt like a schoolgirl who just got caught with their crush. "H-He did, huh?" Regina cleared her throat to get the nerves out of her system and looked out at the field to see Henry high five a few of his teammates.

"Way to go, Henry!" Emma hollered from the stands even though she didn't see him make a goal either because she was too distracted by the older brunette sitting next to her. Emma stole a glance over at Regina then caught the gaze of the five-year-old sitting in between the bleachers.

The younger brunette smiled, "Want to see my picture?" Emma laughed a bit. Leave it to the five-year-old to change the subject so quickly.

"Sure!" Emma moved passed Regina to sit on the bleacher just one below where the little girl was coloring to take a look at the page. "The purple Captain America shield was a nice touch, kid." She messed with the little girl's braid a bit, which had the girl giggling. "What do you think, Regina?" Emma held the paper up.

Regina looked at Emma and the butterflies were back, "About what?" She hated this. She hated not having control of her voice and mind. It was like after the conversation Claire and her last had she couldn't get it out of her mind. What _if _Emma and her had a connection? What_ if_ she was just seeing this because Emma was so good to both Claire and her?

Emma softly laughed, "Claire changed Captain America's appearance…with the shield." Regina finally tore her eyes from Emma's and looked at the paper in her hand.

"Oh!" Regina looked over at her daughter with a laugh, "Claire bear thinks every super hero needs something purple, isn't that right?" Claire nodded clearly proud of her work.

"It's my favorite color." Emma looked up at Regina just as she looked down at her and they both shared a laugh.

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><p>After the game, Emma and the other two brunettes waited for Henry to finish up with his team meeting. Their team had won due to Henry's one goal. The one and only goal that both Emma and Regina missed due to their little moment earlier.<p>

Emma leaned into Regina, "Do we make up the fact that we missed the winning goal or just tell him the truth?" Regina giggled glancing over at Emma then back at her now sweaty and dirty son that was approaching them.

"Let's not damper his spirit," Regina told her as Henry got closer, "Good game, sweetheart." Regina smiled rubbing his arm.

Henry beamed at both his moms, "Thanks! Did you see me score that goal?" Emma hugged the kid despite him being sweaty and dirty.

"Of course, kid!" Emma looked down at Henry before leaning her head on top of his head and looking over at Regina with a smile. Regina returned the smile to both Emma and Henry.

Claire being as innocent as she was said, "No! Momma don't-" Regina covered the little girl's mouth softly with her hand all the while laughing through her teeth.

She kissed the side of the girl's head, "Shhh…" She whispered into Claire's ear, which earned her a look from the younger brunette.

"What was that about?" Henry laughed looking between his two moms.

"Nothing, dear." Regina smiled, while Emma started laughing harder at their little secret almost getting revealed by the little girl.

**Reviews are always welcome! :) **


	10. Chapter 10

**I am so sorry for the late late late update! Many of you have been getting on me about updating (which I am thankful for or else this may have been an even later update.) I do plan on updating once more this week before I go on vacation :) As always reviews are always welcome! Thank you guys for sticking with me! **

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><p>Regina picked out a book looking through it to see a it was full of the elfish language she's come to know. She cleaned off the dust with a slightly damp rag and put it back in the shelf. She tipped out another book and cleaned it off as well.<p>

"Regina?" She heard a voice yell from across her home. She continued cleaning off her books knowing sooner or later the blonde woman would find her. "Regina?" This time the voice was closer-probably down the hall Regina noted. She heard footsteps getting closer and closer to her study before she heard a knock on the already open study door. "You're home."

Regina glanced back at the blonde, "And you are in my study." The blonde woman leaned up against the door.

She softly laughed, "Why didn't you let me know you were here?"

Regina picked up another book and shrugged, "I was dusting my books." She turned to look at the blonde. "Why are you in my study again?"

"I never said," Regina could tell the other woman had more to say, so she decided to say nothing. She wiped off the book in her hand watching the blonde as she continued to look around the room. She turned around and slipped the book back in its place.

The brunette could feel Emma's eyes on her as she continued to clean not only her books, but also the drawers in her desk. She had to admit she kind of liked the extra attention that the blonde gave her. As the minutes passed by, Regina started to glance back every so often to see what the younger woman was doing. Occasionally, their eyes would meet, which only had Regina smirking with delight and the blonde blushing like a fool.

Emma started picking at pieces on the door, "Sooo…"

Regina turned to look at the blonde getting impatient, "Spit it out, Miss Swan. As much as I enjoy the silence, I don't have all day."

"The apartment…you know Mary Margaret and David's, which is one that I kind of stay at right now. Well, it sort of-I mean I really—"

Henry came running into the room and almost knocked over Regina as he came to wrap his arms around her smaller body, "Did you say yes?"

Regina gave a skeptical look in Emma's direction. Emma looked down like her shoes were suddenly very exciting in that moment. The brunette looked at her son trying to form the right words, "Said yes to what, dear?"

Henry grinned, "Emma staying with us for awhile."

Regina's face went from skeptical to horror to a neutral expression in a matter of seconds. "Just why would she," Regina looked up at Emma for answers, "be staying with us?"

Emma groaned inwardly, "Kid, you weren't supposed to say anything until I talked to your mom." Regina kept a hard look on the blonde as she waited for an answer. "I sort of need a place to stay."

"No." Regina let go of Henry and crossed her arms.

"You haven't even heard the reason why," Emma practically whined.

"No."

Emma flung her arms around madly, "The apartment is flooded and it will take them a week to—"

"A week?! Absolutely not!" Regina walked right past the blonde as she headed towards the kitchen. Emma and Henry followed only steps behind her.

"I don't want to stay at Granny's in that small room with my parents. This would just be a temporary thing. I mean you know what my parents are like-not that I don't love them-I would have no alone time." Emma followed Regina around a corner just before she walked into the kitchen. "Regina, please!

Regina turned to face the blonde once behind the counter in the kitchen, "Why should I allow you to stay in my home? Give me one good reason." The brunette crossed her arms again and stared down the woman who never seemed to stop getting on her nerves.

Emma crossed her arms too, "I can help with the dishes."

"Henry and I have that covered."

"I can work for my stay."

Regina shook her head, "I don't need your help," She saw Emma was about to continue, so she held a finger up to silence her. "Or your money."

Emma tapped her foot in thought, "I can cook."

The brunette laughed, "Try again."

"I can help with Claire when you get busy."

Regina wanted to tell the blonde that she could balance her daughter and her work life, but knew she was struggling a bit. She pursed her lips in thought. "How long would you be staying?"

Emma grinned, "Two weeks tops! So, does that mean I get to stay?"

The brunette looked over at her son's hopeful eyes to the blonde's, "You can stay in the guest room, _but_ only for two weeks. No more."

"I promise you won't even know I'm here." Emma hugged Henry in excitement.

Henry smiled, "Let's go get your stuff out of the bug."

Regina was about to say something about the fact that Emma expected her to say yes, but she heard Claire yell for her from her bedroom. "This is not your home, Miss Swan, please don't forget it." Emma nodded and followed after an excited Henry out of the house.

The older brunette walked up the stairs and down the upstairs hallway until she reached her daughter's room. Claire was sitting on her floor playing with Legos. Regina sat down beside Claire, "What did you need, sweetheart?"

"I wanta build this," Claire pointed at the picture on the tub in front of her. It was a picture of a space ship and Regina wasn't sure if she could do it, but she could never deny a goal like this.

"We can try," Regina smiled picking up a few pieces and putting them together. She pointed to a piece near Claire and the smaller brunette picked it up and placed it on her mom's ever-growing piece.

"It's going to be big, right?" Claire looked up at her mother.

She nodded quirking an eyebrow up, "Are spaceships big?" Claire nodded with a huge smile. "This spaceship will most definitely be big, dear."

They continued to build their spaceship in silence only talking when they needed to find a specific piece to add to their already joint piece.

"Emma is going to be staying with us for a little while." The older brunette paused to think of Henry's last soccer game. She couldn't believe the draw the blonde had on her. It was almost like an…attraction. Regina shook her head as if to push those thoughts away.

"It'll be like a sleepover every night. I like Swan." Claire concentrated on the Legos in front of her.

Regina softly laughed through her teeth, "It'll be something like that."


	11. Chapter 11

**I promised another chapter would be out this week and here it is! I hope you like it :) I already have an idea for the next chapter and I'm going to try to have it out sometime late next week. As always, reviews are welcome! Thank you guys for sticking with this story!**

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><p>The two brunettes finished the Lego spaceship and were downstairs in the kitchen preparing dinner. Regina was chopping up some vegetables to add to the soup that Claire was currently stirring on the stove with the assistance of a mini step ladder.<p>

The younger brunette leaned over the pot to smell the soup and hummed in approval. "It smells delicious, mommy." Regina finished chopping up the tomatoes and fresh herbs as she slid them off the counter and into her hand. She walked over to the pot and dropped what was in her hand into the pot of liquid.

Regina smiled as she wiped off her hands on a cloth nearby the stove, "Go ahead and stir it some more." Claire did as she was told and stirred the new ingredients into the simmering liquid in the pot. The younger brunette heard a popping sound and leaned back with a gasp as she stared at her mother for an explanation.

Regina laughed at her daughter's expression, "It's just starting to boil, Claire-bear. You are doing a fantastic job, my dear." She lightly tapped the little girl on the nose, which elicited a giggle from the younger brunette.

"Can I go get Emma?" Claire asked as Regina grabbed the tray of homemade garlic bread off the counter and placed it into the oven.

Regina closed the oven with a nod, "Tell her it will be done in 10 minutes." Claire nodded before bouncing off the mini step ladder and running out of the kitchen. "No running in the house!" She listened to the thundering steps fade to soft thumps up the stairs. She smiled and shook her head before crouching down beside the oven to watch the bread. One hand was holding onto the oven door, while the other lay in her lap.

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><p>After dinner the four of them sat down in the living room with one of Claire's favorite movies playing: Finding Nemo. Regina sat with her legs tucked under her body on the coach, while Emma had her legs up on the coffee table crossed at the ankles. Claire lay between them trying to keep her eyes open until the very end of the movie, but Regina knew she would be out within minutes.<p>

She looked past Emma to find Henry already passed out in the chair next to the coach. Regina pats Emma's leg to grab her attention and pointed over where Henry was.

Emma looked over and giggled at the sight, "How is he out before her?"

Regina shrugged with a small smile on her lips, "He's had a busy day." The two women looked over at their son. Whenever he fell asleep, he always looked so much younger and Regina hated the fact that her little prince was getting older. His face scrunched up and he let out a tiny snore. Emma covered her mouth to stifle her laugh as she looked over at Regina who was also laughing as quietly as she could on her side of the couch.

"That was the cutest fucking thing," Emma said through a laugh. "I've never heard him snore before!"

Regina watched her son some more while laughing softly through her smile, "He used to snore a lot more when he was younger. Now he only snores when he lays a certain way or if he's really tired like tonight." Emma's smile faltered a bit at the mention of a young Henry. She wished she could have seen him when he was younger and just learning how to talk and walk. She missed that stage in his life and she can never get that back.

"What was he like?" Emma whispered. Regina gave her a confused look before realization sunk in.

"Henry?" Emma nodded. "Henry was a curious little boy. When I say this, I mean that if you taught him how to open doors one day the next day every single door in your house would be open." Emma giggled, while Regina merely smiled at the memory. "On top of that, once he learned how to talk…" Regina softly laughed, "He wouldn't stop talking."

Emma smiled trying to imagine this, "What happened when he learned inappropriate words? I imagine you with wide eyes trying to apologize to whoever he said it to." Regina laughed and nodded as she remembered a specific memory. Hearing Regina really laugh had Emma smiling and laughing along with her. She loved this side of her. It was a side that not many people saw and she was glad Regina felt comfortable enough to share it with her.

"You would be correct on that assumption," Regina giggled some more as she tried to calm herself down, so that she wouldn't wake the children.

"I wish I could have seen him then," Emma looked over at Henry and then down at her hands as she tangled and untangled them in her lap. Regina got up and walked over to the other side of the couch where the blonde sat and grabbed her hand pulling her up.

"I want to show you something." Emma looked up at Regina and their eyes met once more. Emma didn't trust many people, but something in her trusted Regina. She stood up and followed Regina up the stairs. The two women's hands laced together automatically and neither woman seemed to notice the change as they approached Regina's bedroom. Once inside, Regina let go of Emma's hand, so that she could look inside her closet.

Emma sat down on the bed Indian-style waiting for the brunette to return. "You're not showing me anything lethal, are you?" She heard some more shuffling from inside the closet.

Regina laughed, "Not this time, dear." There was pause before an 'aha!' came from the brunette. She walked out of the closet and sat on the bed beside the blonde laying out a book in front of them. Regina motioned towards it with her hands while looking at the blonde, "Look inside it!"

The blonde was hesitant, but opened the binded book anyway. On the first page the name 'Henry Mills' was wrote out in big block letters with the words '1 month' underneath it. Underneath the words were two pictures of a baby who she assumed was her son. She swallowed thickly, "Is this…" She couldn't even finish the sentence.

Regina smiled with a nod as she scooted closer to the blonde, so that they were shoulder to shoulder and their legs touched. She leaned over the blonde and pointed to the next page, "This is Henry at two months. I know it doesn't look like a huge difference, but you can definitely see that he is indeed growing."

They continued to look through the scrapbook together. Regina would occasionally stop them and tell her a story about the moment the picture was taken or something that Henry did during that month. Emma was eternally grateful for this opportunity, but felt her eyes get heavy with unshed tears. When they got to Henry's "terrible twos" stage, Emma had to catch the tear that fell with the palm of her hand. This was starting to be too much. Regina looked over at the blonde with a huge smile before it fell just a bit when she noticed Emma's glassy eyes.

Regina playfully nudged her with her shoulder, "I thought you would want to see this. We can stop if this is too much-"

Emma shook her head and cut her off, "No! I love this." She sniffed and let out a nervous laugh. "Thank you for showing me." Regina watched Emma, but couldn't help herself as she grabbed Emma's hand and intertwined their fingers. She gave them a squeeze.

"I have more books like this in my closet. If you ever want to look at them on your own, just let me know." Emma nodded not trusting her voice as she looked down at the page they were currently on.

Emma let out a shaky laugh, "Why does his cake look like it's been destroyed by his face?" Regina looked down at the picture and started laughing real hard at the memory.

"Henry really wanted a dinosaur cake for his birthday, so I made one all on my own." Regina watched Emma's expressions as she continued to talk about the struggle of making a specialized cake. "Three days before his birthday he decided he couldn't wait to try it. I came home and there was cake everywhere…" Regina continued the story while trying to hold back her laughter.


End file.
